Never on Saturday: Cops corral 'Shomer Shabbos' drug dealers

Never on Saturday: Cops corral 'Shomer Shabbos' drug dealers

Associated Press

A Sheepshead Bay-based drug crew strictly observed the Jewish Sabbath each week while dealing oxycondone, heroin and other drugs in New York City, authorities said Tuesday in announcing charges against five men.

Investigators cited mass text messages sent to customers warning them to get their orders in before sundown Friday or else wait until after sundown Saturday.

"We are closing at 7:30 on the dot and we will reopen on Saturday at 8:15 so if u need anything you have 45 minutes to get what you want," one text read, according to the city's Special Narcotics Prosecutor's Office.

An indictment charged the five defendants with using stolen prescription sheets and other means to obtain 23,000 oxycodone pills with a street value of $460,000. It also accused them of distributing heroin with the name "DOB," and of using the code name "white girl" to refer to cocaine.

In another text from April to 50 people, the Brooklyn men allegedly wrote, "Awesome batch of DOB just came in!!! Open now till 7:30."

The five defendants, who were charged with varying counts of conspiracy, criminal possession of a forged instrument, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal use of drug paraphernalia, were Jack Zibak, Jack Zaibak, Eruard Sorin, David Gerowitz and Philp Mandel. They allegedly conducted their business out of an apartment at 4190 Bedford Ave.

All five were arrested in April, and the subsequent five-month investigation led to more charges being filed against them, according to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan thanked NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly and the Narcotics Borough Brooklyn South, as well as Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes and his office for assisting the investigation.

Brennan added that Sorin has been arraigned in Manhattan Federal Court, and more court dates are expected for the other defendants during the next few weeks.

September 10, 2013 - 9:23pm

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